Development and Application of Biomarkers

Book excerpt: First introduced to biomedical research in 1980, the term biomarker has taken on a life of its own in recent years and has come to mean a number of things. A comprehensive assessment of biomarkers, this book covers the history and current status of the application of biomarkers in diagnostics and prognostics. It explores the technology used for the study of biomarkers, and the validation of biomarkers including a comparison of the various technologies used to identify and measure biomarkers. The editors emphasize the technology underlying biomarkers and the translation of basic science to clinical laboratory technology, including the commercial development of biomarkers. The book also covers proteomics and proteomic technologies and their applications in the identification of biomarkers.